The present invention relates generally to measuring and leveling devices, and particularly to an apparatus for both measuring and leveling a plane surface in which bubble vials are situated on clamps which can be moved along the plane of the body.
Spirit levels are well-known tools used to set or plumb surfaces. This is accomplished by placing a plumb face of the spirit level against a surface to be plumbed, and checking the levelness by observing the position of a bubble in a bubble vial. The plumb face of the spirit level is finished or machined to a desired level of accuracy. Sufficiently accurate carpenter levels have been made of wood or plastic, although highly accurate levels are generally made of lightweight metal, such as aluminum.
A workman is frequently faced with the problem of marking at least two points on a surface, or of drawing or cutting a line on a surface, (most commonly a vertical surface such as a wall), such that the two points are horizontally or vertically orientated one to the other, or the line is vertically or horizontally leveled
A drawback of conventional spirit levels is that they enable a surface to be leveled, but not measured Using a conventional spirit level therefore necessitates the use of an additional tool, such as a ruler, in order to carry out both tasks. This may prove to be cumbersome and time-consuming, requiring the processes to be performed as two separate activities.
In an attempt to overcome the problems of separate leveling and measuring tools, a spirit level has been developed which provides bubble vials for leveling, in combination with a ruler for measuring. However, a disadvantage of these devices is that the bubble vials are located at a fixed position, typically at either end of the ruler, making the device cumbersome to use and resulting in the bubble vials being situated at some distance from the point of application.
A further disadvantage of spirit levels provided with a scale is that due to the typical rectangular cross-section of the level, the scale is usually marked on the surface perpendicular to the surface to be measured, making reading of the scale somewhat difficult, or the scale is marked on the surface parallel and substantially removed from the surface being measured, thus making accurate marking difficult, Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a measuring and leveling device in one unit, having bubble vials which are movable to a required point along the body of the ruler, and having a scale which is marked on a surface which can be placed directly against and parallel to the surface to be measured.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art measuring and leveling devices and provide a device in which the bubble vials for leveling are movable to the precise point of application, and the measuring scale is situated on a surface so constructed as to allow the scale to be located directly against and parallel to the surface to be measured.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a measuring and leveling device including a body portion provided with a ruler for measuring distances between points, in which the measuring scale is marked on a surface which tapers to a flat edge as in a conventional ruler, and having two parallel tracks along the longitudinal axis of the body, and two clamps situated on the body of the leveling device, each of which is held in place by tabs situated on the underside of the clamps and insertable into the parallel tracks, each clamp including a bubble vial mounting portion into which a bubble vial is fixedly mounted.
The present invention therefore enables two or more points to be easily and accurately marked on a surface at a set horizontal or vertical distance one from the other; or a level horizontal or vertical line to be easily and accurately marked or cut on a surface.
Heretofore, for example, in order to hang a picture on a wall it was necessary to make and mark all the measurements with a measuring tape or ruler and then use a level to align the picture once it was mounted. The present invention serves for both these tasks in one tool, obviating the need for a separate ruler or measure.
The sliding nature of the clamps on which the bubble vials are mounted enables the bubble vials to be positioned at either end of the surface to be plumbed, thus serving as both measuring and plumbing points, allowing for simultaneous measurement and alignment. The leveling and measuring device is ideal for use in hanging framed works of art or pictures on walls, since it not only allows for accurate, measured placement, but also for level alignment.
The measuring and leveling device may be used to measure a distance between two points, such as between hanging holes on the back of a cabinet, and mark these two points on a wall, such that the points are accurately leveled.
The leveling and measuring device can also be used in any other application where leveling and marking are required, such as in doing construction or renovation, marking stud placements in plasterboard walls and the like.